Device for securing ferry-boats



UNITED STATES PATENT OEECE.

FREDERICK S. RUDGE, OF BROOKLYN, NEIV. YORK.

DEVICE FOR SECURING FERRY-BOATS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters latent No. 425,634, dated April15, 1890.

Application filed December 23, 1889. Serial No. 334,721. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK S. RUDGE, ar citizen of the United States,residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for SecuringFerry-Boats; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear,and exact description of the invention,such as will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. y

My invention relates to improvements in devices for automaticallysecuring and releasing ferry-boats; and it has for its object theprovision of a very simple and efficient device by which the ferry-boatwill be automatically secured to the slip or wharf as it approaches thesame, and which can be easily operated by the pilot to release the boat.

The invention consists in certain novel features hereinafter describedand claimed.

In the annexed drawings, which fully illustrate my invention, Figure 1is a perspective View of the coupling hook or ring attached to thewharf. Fig. 2 is a similar View of the pivoted block or coupling-pin onthe boat, showing it engaged by the coupling -ring. Fig. 3 is a viewshowing the manner of operating the device to release the boat. Fig. 4is a perspective view looking at the rear end of the box or support forthe coupling-hook.

In carrying my invention into practice I secure to the wharf orferry-slip a box or support A, which may be of any suitable size ormaterial, and is provided in its upper side with a longitudinal V-shapedgroove B, as shown, in which the coupling-hook C rests. At the rear endof the box or support I provide the vertically-adjustable standard orsupporting-,plate D,whieh is mounted between the rearward extensions Eof the box or support and is secured at any desired height by the boltsF, which are mounted on the extensions E and engage perforations orsockets G in the plate or standard. The said plate or standard isfurther provided with one or more openin gs Il, through which the shankor body of the coupling-hook passes, and chains I are secured at theirupper ends to the inner or rear side of said plate and have pins .Iattached to their lower ends. Similar chains K are provided on the frontside of the plate and have pins L at their lower ends.

The coupling hook or ring M consists of a bar or shank N, having an eyeor loop at its outer or front end and provided with the longitudinalseries of openings P near its rear end. The bar or shank rests in thegroove B and projects through one of the openings II in theverticalplate or standard,

v so as to be supported in proper position to engage the coupling-pin onthe boat. The coupling hook or ring is secured in position by insertingthe pins J and L through the openings P, so that they bear against thefront and rear sides of the plate, thus preventing the hook from havingany endwise or longitudinal motion. The hook is supported and secured inthe event of the chains .I and K being unfastened by the chain Q, whichhas its ends secured to the upper front corners of the box or support Aby spring-hooks and its central portion passed through a ring R on thecoupling-hook.

The coupling-pin S is pivoted in a slot Tin the floor or deck of theboat, and has its upper and lower ends extending, respectively, aboveand below the deck. The upper end of the pin is cone-shaped, as shown atV, so as to provide a deflecting surface, up which the end of thecoupling-hook may ride and pass over the end of the pin to engage thesame. The

rear side of the pin, at the upper end thereof, is

provided with a series of notches or shoulders, which engage thecoupling-hook in the operation of the device to prevent the accidentaland premature release of the boat. Below its pivot -the coupling-pin isprovided with a slot or notch WV, which is engaged by the end .of alever Y, pivoted on the 'under side of the deck. The opposite end ofthis lever is connected by a pitman Z with a vertically-disposed levera, which extends up into the pilot-house.

In practice the couplinghook rests loosely in the bottom of the groovein the box-support A and projects from and beyond the front end of thesaine, while the coupling-pin is arranged normally in a verticalposition and held in such a position by the end of the lever Y engagingthe notch W, as will be readily understood upon reference to the IOGdrawings. As the boat approaches the wharf the coupling-hook will rideupon the deck and over and into engagement with the couplingpin, therebysecuring the boat. If it is desired to release the boat, the pilotthrows the vertical lever backward, thereby vibrating the horizontallever, so as to release the same from the coupling-pin, when the strainapplied to the pin by the boat moving from the wharf will cause it toswing on its pivot into a horizontal position, so that it may readilypass under the `coupling-hook. W'hile the boat is making its trip thecoupling-pinis returned to its normal vertical portion; and the leverthen again engaged in the notch in the pin, so that when 1the boatapproaches the other wharf itinaybe automatically Secured thereto. l

f Itwill bey observed from the foregoing description that I' haveprovided a very cheap and simple device by which the boat will beeectuallysecured to the wharf, andwhich is entirely automatic in itsoperation. By lthe use of my devicethe boat "can be very quickly securedwithout necessitating the attendance of operators, thus effecting 1aneconomy bf time and labor. The seriesof shouldersl or notches in ftheupper end of the coupling-pin' provides' for a positive engagement ofthe coupling-hook, notwithstanding any dierence tliatmay exist betweenthe heights of the wharf andthe deck of the boat. The verticallsupporting plate or standard-p canl be quiclrlyvand easily adjustedtofcorrespond to thetide, and 'the manner of supprting thecupling-hookpermits it to readily yrise and fallin theop'eration `of`the device. l l

It will be understood, of course,th'at I do not limit myself `to theexact details 0f constructionshown in the drawings, as itis obvious thatmany minor changes may be made there@ inwithut departing from the.`principles of myinvention.

' Having thus described my invention,` what I claim,v and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, 1s

1. A devicefor securing ferry-boats, consisting, essentially, of `acoupling-hook secured to the wharf, a pivoted coupling-pin carried bythe boat and adapted to be e11- gaged by the coupling-hook, and meansfor operatingthe coupling-pin, as set forth.

2. The combination of' the vertically-adjustable supporting-platemounted l on the wharf,the coupling-hook carried thereby, and acouplingpin carried by lthe boat and adapted to be engaged by thecoupling-hook, as set forth. 4

3. The combination of the coupling-pin piv- 'oted in the deck of theboat and having a notch in its side belowits pivot,the lever engagingsaid notch-,imeansjfor releasingksaid lever,` and the coupling-hookmounted on the wharf and adapted toy engage the couplingpin, assetforth. r

4. The combination cf -the pivotedcbuplingfpinin the deck of theboatg'having a series'of notches 'on its rear 'side inits upper end,means for yoperating said pin, and the coupling-hook mounted on theWharf and adapted to engage'the notches in said pin, as set forth.

5.' The combination of `the box or support secured onI the wharf andihaving al longitudinal groove'in its upper side, the couplinghookrest-ing in said groove, the chains secured to the box and the hook, andthe pin on the boat adaptedto be engagedfby thehook, as set forth. E

6. The combination 'ofthe'box on the wharf, the vertical piateadjustablysecured to the rear end of 'the boxrthe couplin g-hook adjustablysecured tosaidlplate and supported by the box, andthe pin carriedby theboat and adapted to be `engaged^by the' saidhook, as set forth.

In testimony whereof 'Iaiiliz mysign ature in presence of two witnesses.

' FREDERICK S: BUDGE.

Witnesses: y

ALEXIS GREEN, B2 LUERssEN.

